resumes the long running Plot A to Z series of far too occasional posts, the last one being February 2014.
Among the various O and P flowers the only ones that I regularly grow are poppies (papaver) and phacelia. Being annuals I sow both but the poppies often don’t germinate, with the the ones that do appear being self-seeded. Although phacelia is a green manure I grow it for the flowers as I mentioned in a recent post, where I also mentioned the plot ponds.
Apart from potatoes, mentioned in O and P (part 1 of 2), I don’t grow parsnips, peas or pumpkins mainly due to space considerations.
One fruit that I would like to grow is pineapple.
The other notable P is the Prunus spinosa, better known as a Sloe Blackthorn, which has grown up through the pallet patio. I keep it pruned to about six feet and in the spring enjoy the pure white flowers that cover it’s spiny branches. A little known fact about this tree is that the wood is favoured by the Irish for the manufacture of shillelaghs!
Have a good weekend!
[Click on either picture to see a larger image]
Edited Sunday, 18 January…Glo has kindly given me a wonderful Flighty’s Pineapple Pipe Dream Award picture and poem which can be seen in her comment below and on her own PPD Award post.
Flighty's plot 
I love poppies and have them growing wild at the bottom of the garden where the bee hives are.. so many different colour combinations appear, I never know what will appear next.. lovely :o) Growing phacelia for the first time this year as I said on one of your previous posts :o) We grow potatoes and peas.. haven’t grown parsnips for a few year but going to grow some this year :o) xx
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Julie me too, and mine tend to appear like that. Well done on growing phacelia, the bees will appreciate it. If I had the space I think that I would grow peas. xx
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I love poppies too and always let them seed where they will.
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Elaine me too, and that’s the best way to let them grow. xx
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Love the blackthorn and the pallet patio, what a great idea. CJ xx
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CJ it just appeared and wasn’t anything I planned. xx
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My Mom is 84 and tries to keep busy with a small vegetable garden and flowers/flowering plants. She decided last fall to grow a pineapple. She bought one for I think a dollar, went through some rigamarole she found about how to plant it in a pot after exposing it to apples in the refrigerator (something like that!). So she did it. The plant stayed outside until the weather got cold, and is now in her garage, still alive and green. It has even grown some small leaves on the inside of the plant. I’ll be interested to see what it does once it’s back outside in the sun!
How about petunias?
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Anna well done your mum, as you say it’ll be interesting to see how it does.
Petunias aren’t nice flowers but I don’t grow them. xx
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I’ve tried poppies, too, some that were similar shade as yours. They haven’t reseeded for me so I’ve let them have their way. That blackthorn sure is pretty all covered in white.
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Nikki it seems that we have the same problems with them. It sure is. xx
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A few years ago, my husband and I parked in a car park to do some shopping and I noticed that someone had left a tray of plants on the low wall near to where we had parked our car. I guess that they had put them there while sorting out their boot and forgot them. I can’t remember their name, but now I have those large red poppies in my garden thanks to someone sad loss. I have a very large blackthorn in my garden I love seeing it when its covered in flowers. Have a wonderful day, Flighty.
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Paula that sounds like it was a worthwhile find. I guess that we’re both looking forward to seeing our blackthorns in flower. Thanks, and you too. xx
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I had poppies springing up right through my potato patch last year, they were so pretty and it was lovely to see some splashes of colour amongst all the green foliage.
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Jo I’ve had that happen, and generally happy to leave them alone. xx
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What a lovely poppy, they seem to seed everywhere in my garden and as I love them so I never pull them up. Ooooohhh….I would love to grow a pineapple too!xxx
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Snowbird lucky you, I generally don’t pull up any self-seeded ones. I’m going to read up on growing a pineapple. xx
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Here’s a link for growing pineapples from the green top. http://www.rickswoodshopcreations.com/pineapple/pineapple.htm
Purple poppies are particularly pretty! How’s that for P’s?
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Glo thanks for that link That’s perfect! xx
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Here’s your award, Flighty ~
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Glo thanks that’s wonderful! xx
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right click the photo to save it if you like 🙂
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Glo thanks, and done. xx
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Lovely photos Flighty, I have my fingers crossed for poppies, yours and mine! Your prunus Spinoza looks stunning in that PIC, hope it is even better this year. You could do worse than pick it as your tree to follow!
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Janet thanks, and let’s hope that we get to see some poppies. It sure does, and I hope so. I was thinking that myself. xx
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